Seafood

To begin, a little taste of the sea, easily prepared ahead of time. Beautiful, sophisticated, and delicious, mussels are perfect party appetizers. Each bite offers a complex layering of flavors, and the shells make lovely natural dishes.

This Baja treat is well known to residents of Southern California, where fish tacos have been popular since their introduction in the 1980s. The crunch of coleslaw contrasts with tender fish, and the creamy dressing is spiked with the smoky heat of chipotle chiles.

Sophisticated yet incredibly easy, this dish brings the flavors of Sicily to your table.

The combination of seafood, sausage, and grits creates a hearty and homey dish that brings the smells and tastes of the Lowcountry into your kitchen, no matter where you live.

Cod and potato are the cornerstones of one of the classics of American cooking: fish chowder. Here they take on a new form as the basis for these distinctly New England potato pancakes.

Chef Michael Mina created this dish for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He loves this multicomponent dish because it is the essence of summer.

Protein-packed lean shrimp really satisfies.

You'll hardly recognize your zucchini after transforming it into both a crisp topping and a bed of vegetable "noodles."

Lightly blanched squid makes a simple and elegant salad with the tang of fish sauce and fresh lime juice.

Quinotto de Hongos y Camarones
This dish—quinoa prepared risotto-style—is so good, you'll forget it's good for you. Quinoa, whose name means "mother grain," is indigenous to Peru and dates from the time of the Inca civilization. Compared with other grains, quinoa is very high in protein and relatively low in carbohydrates. If you're pressed for time, we found a great substitute for fresh clam broth.

Pesce al coriandolo in salsa di aceto
The alluring scents of coriander seeds and a whole handful of bay leaves perfume the fresh, flavorful flesh of bluefish.

Mild fillets get zing from a coating of wasabi mayonnaise.

A fresh summer catch from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, bluefish has a rich, fine-textured flesh that makes it perfect for baking, broiling, or grilling.

Straight anchovy butter can be intense (indeed, we've given a range on the anchovies, so salt fiends can indulge), but the toasted, ground fennel seeds make these crunchy hors d'oeuvres taste clean, not heavy. Roasted red peppers add a burst of juicy sweetness and a hint of smokiness.

In this innovative use of zucchini, the vegetable adds body to the mussel-filled broth without being overpowering.

The turbot is roasted on a thin cake of overlapping potato slices and then sauced with a simple pan sauce, garnished with tomatoes and black olives. Turbot is rarely available in the United States, but another flatfish such as a fluke or flounder makes a good substitute. You will need a mandoline or other vegetable slicer to slide the potatoes very thin. Ovenproof nonstick frying pans work best here, so the potato cakes don't stick, but if necessary you can use other 8-inch frying pans or cake pans; line them with rounds of parchment paper.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks." Charlotte's mother learned this recipe years ago, when she was working on a shrimp boat.

Self-crowned "BBQ Queens" Karen Adler and Judith Fertig have written more than 20 cookbooks between the two of them, including Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens. Their tuna burger is infused with Mediterranean flavor and topped with a favorite New Orleans sauce.